


Notice

by IrinyaClockworker



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Angst, Eye Trauma, F/F, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-07-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:08:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25162174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IrinyaClockworker/pseuds/IrinyaClockworker
Summary: Melanie quits her job.
Relationships: Georgie Barker/Melanie King
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18





	Notice

"You sound like you've made a decision," Jon says, and Melanie can't quite figure out what the look on his face is supposed to mean.

"I have. Yes." She's trying to keep her voice calm, but she doesn't think it's working.

"Right," Jon replies softly.

"Thanks for telling me, by the way," she offers tentatively. "It didn't look like it was easy for you."

"It wasn't. I don't think, uh... I don't think _it_ wants to lose anyone, but I thought... you, of all people, deserve the option." 

"Yes." If she says as little as possible, maybe he won't be able to tell--no, that's stupid, he can just _know._

"But I understand it's a big thing. We'll keep looking. Maybe there's another way--"

"No, Jon." She cuts him off, because she can't wait any longer, and she can't give herself false hope. Somehow, she knows--she doesn't need Jon's abilities to know. "I'm going to do it. I'm quitting."

"Oh." He pauses. "You're sure you've thought it through. I-I don't know if we can look after you, you know? Afterwards."

"You won't need to," she reassures him. "I've, I've made a few arrangements. And... it's going to be okay." That's as much for herself as it is for him. He probably knows that. "Honestly," she adds, but she feels like it falls flat. "I... I think it is. I can't be a part of this anymore, and if this is the price, then... I think I'm okay to pay it." She takes a deep breath, and hopes her racing heart will calm soon. "It's the rest of you I'm worried about."

Jon actually laughs a little at that. "We'll be fine." They're both lying to each other, and they both know it. "Always have been."

"Not always."

"No." Guilt crosses his face for a split second, and he looks down. "I guess not." He makes a valiant effort to compose himself, and looks back up. "Well. If you're sure."

"I, I won't be around after this, but I'll--I'll leave details, in case you need to get in touch, um, but..." _Please don't._

"I understand." There's a very long pause, and then he asks, "How are you planning on doing it?"

"Got, um, got one of those awls from the book repair supplies, up in the library. If it can punch through books, it can punch through, uh... Well, it... it should do the trick." She remembers reading once when she was younger about Louis Braille, who had accidentally blinded himself with an awl. It had horrified her as a child, and still horrifies her now, but... that was what had given her the idea. "No reason to try and make it too complicated."

"I suppose not." Jon seems very disturbed by the thought. _Yeah, me too._

"I've left a proper resignation letter on Lukas's desk. It was quite satisfying to write, actually. Almost made me wish it was Elias... He would have _hated_ me not serving out my two weeks' notice. Not sure Lukas even knows who I am... Probably for the best."

Jon seems to be fumbling for words. "We'll... miss you." 

"Wish I could say the same."

"...Yeah." He pauses again. "Do you... need any, uh... help?"

"No. I've got this." She wishes she felt anywhere near as confident as those words are supposed to make her sound. "But if you, um... if you could... In five minutes... I would appreciate it if you could call me an ambulance."

"Right," Jon says softly, but she's already turned to leave.

The awl is right in front of her. It is _right there._ If she can just pick it up and get it over with, it'll be done in seconds. The pain will last a lot longer, but at least she won't be able to hesitate over it. 

She's scared. The idea of never seeing anything, ever again--never seeing the sky, or any animals, or Georgie's face--oh, god, Georgie. She's never going to see Georgie again. Will she forget, in time, what her face even looks like? And what is Georgie going to think when she finds out?

Melanie did make arrangements for her care, but it wasn't with Georgie. She hasn't told Georgie at all, because if she's honest with herself, she knows--she doesn't want to do this. She doesn't want to do this, but she has to, and Georgie is the only one who could stop her.

She takes a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She can hear her own heart pounding in her ears, and she thinks she might cry. Fuck, it's so weird to even be able to cry. 

Her hands are shaking so badly that even when she manages to pick up the awl, she can't hold it steady.

Her mind is so full of fear, blood roaring, heart racing, that she almost doesn't hear her phone ringing. It's the special ringtone she chose for Georgie--'Sun is Shining', a song that's definitely a bit sappy, but Georgie... well, Melanie can afford a little sappiness in Georgie's case.

She answers the phone, trying not to drop it and trying even harder to keep her voice even. "Hey, Georgie. What's up?"

"Nothing at all," Georgie answers cheerfully. "I just felt like calling my girlfriend. Hope I didn't interrupt anything important."

Melanie winces. "Well, sort of. I can't talk long..." 

"Oh, sorry!" Georgie keeps going, but Melanie can barely hear her. 

"Georgie," she finally says, cutting off her girlfriend. "I have to hang up now. Um... Could you send me a picture?"

"What, of me? I'm not exactly photogenic right now."

"It doesn't matter." Melanie grips the phone tightly. "I just want to see you."

"Um, okay... Is everything alright? You sound... off."

"It's fine. I'm fine. I have to go." She hangs up before Georgie can even say 'goodbye', knowing she's going to start crying any minute. 

It only takes a minute or so before her phone vibrates, and she sees that Georgie has, in fact, sent a picture. She's an absolute mess, and she's beautiful, and this is the last thing Melanie is going to see, she decides.

She sets the phone down on the table, and realizes her vision is blurring, drops splashing down onto the screen. It's fine. It's fine. She fixates on the image, on the smile on Georgie's face, and tries to memorize it, so she'll never forget.

Melanie doesn't look away from the picture as she fumbles for the awl. She doesn't look away as she grabs it. 

Georgie's face is the last thing she sees before her world goes dark.


End file.
